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Editorial Style

Following NC State's editorial style lends your writing a professional sheen and ensures a consistent experience for all of our readers.

Clear, Consistent Writing

Editorial style is a set of rules that tells you what to do when there's more than one "correct" way to write something. Examples include determining which words to capitalize in a headline or when to spell out a number versus using a numeral. Without a clear-cut set of style guidelines, writers often address these situations in inconsistent and contradictory ways, which undermines their credibility.

NC State’s editorial style is based on The Associated Press Stylebook, with exceptions and additions as noted below. When AP style conflicts with NC State's own guidelines, you should follow the latter. To resolve questions of spelling, AP recommends using Merriam-Webster.

You should follow these rules far more often than not. However, situations may arise when bending a rule makes more sense than following it. Clarity and consistency are the most important considerations.

Use the search bar or index to find a specific editorial style reference.

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land-grant vs. land grant

The Morrill Act of 1862 established the nation’s land-grant university system by authorizing federal land grants to states to help create colleges that would teach “agriculture and the mechanic arts” to the “industrial classes.” A second Morrill Act in 1890 extended land-grant status to additional institutions, including many historically Black colleges and universities.

Use the hyphenated, lowercase adjective “land-grant” when describing universities, institutions or missions (e.g., land-grant university, land-grant tradition). Use the open form “land grant” as a noun (e.g., the state received a land grant).

LGBTQ Pride Center

NC State’s LGBTQ Pride Center, a unit of NC State’s Division of Academic and Student Affairs, was founded in 2008 as the GLBT Center. The LGBTQ Pride Center’s mission is to engage, develop and empower members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities and their allies.

LGBTQ+

This is NC State’s preferred abbreviation for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and associated identities.” In quotations and the formal names of organizations and events, other variations, such as LGBT, LGBTQ and LGBTQIA+, are also acceptable.